you’d simply explain the circumstances of what has occurred rather than require me to drag every detail from you.” Sofia sighed. “Is there no other way for him to learn this task?”
“He must learn to jump and land in order to be able to fight. The skill is required.” His cheek twitched. “If he cannot master this, he is useless.”
Sofia’s jaw tensed. “Louis is not useless whether he can jump off a roof or not. He, like every other employee, brings something valuable to this organization. You just need to figure out what that is. And requiring him to master something he cannot is insane and cruel. Your training techniques are barbaric, torturous.”
“You do not understand our world.”
“You do not understand employment law, hostile work environments, or workers’ compensation, not to mention the plain and simple fact that assaulting employees, or anyone for that matter, is wrong and just downright mean.” She slammed her notebook and pen on the table.
“Your foolish idea that we should apply human resources practices to non-humans is outrageous.” He leaned on the table, hands curled, knuckles down. “You are putting this entire organization at risk by attempting to force us to comply with this nonsense. War is a costly endeavor.”
“And you are putting this organization at risk by purposefully injuring employees. The cost of every hospitalization alone should be enough to make you stop, if cost is all you’re concerned with.” She folded her arms over her chest and glared at him. He wasn’t the first manager who’d been on the wrong side of the Employment Law. She wasn’t backing down. “You are not to force Louis off the roof again.”
“You are not to tell me how to run my training exercises.” The table groaned under his fists. “We need trained soldiers now . War looms around us.”
“Are you planning to push him again?”
“I’ll do what needs to be done to make him worthy as a member of The Alliance. Whatever it takes.” The scar at his temple throbbed, reminding Sofia of the red warning light signaling her car engine was overheating. “I will not risk having wolves who are not prepared to fight to the death. Bas Dubh will not play patty-cake to decide who wins.”
There was no way she was allowing anymore workplace violence to occur. Not on her watch. “I’m suspending you. You’ve left me no choice. I can’t risk the safety of even one employee because you insist on continuing these barbaric training tactics. You’ll leave the building and stay home until a decision is made on how to handle this situation.” She shook her head, picked up her pen, and scribbled her decision on the notepad. She knew she’d have a lot of explaining to do to Dr. MacDuff and Fergus, but Osgar could simply take over the training, and they wouldn’t lose any ground.
A loud crack sounded and the table crashed to the floor. Her notepad slipped out of her hand, and she tumbled downward, landing in a heap, still gripping her pen.
“I do not take orders from you!” Rick’s voice bellowed above her.
She pulled herself up to her knees and managed to get to her feet, though she’d somehow lost a shoe, torn her skirt, and her stockings had holes in both knees. “Oh, yes you do!” she shouted. “Now get out!” She pointed toward the door. Blue ink stained her hand. The damn pen had snapped in half when she fell.
She glanced up and was shocked by what she saw. Rick, the man, no longer stood in front of her. Instead, some sort of combination human-wolf towered over her. He stood on two clawed feet, was covered in fur, and the only thing about his face that resembled the man she’d just been speaking to was the giant scar that parted his fur and rippled when he opened his mouth to growl. He stalked forward, saliva dripping from his mouth.
She dropped the broken pen and stumbled backward, tripping over her shoe and landing on her ass.
Chapter Seven
Dragomir may
“He must learn to jump and land in order to be able to fight. The skill is required.” His cheek twitched. “If he cannot master this, he is useless.”
Sofia’s jaw tensed. “Louis is not useless whether he can jump off a roof or not. He, like every other employee, brings something valuable to this organization. You just need to figure out what that is. And requiring him to master something he cannot is insane and cruel. Your training techniques are barbaric, torturous.”
“You do not understand our world.”
“You do not understand employment law, hostile work environments, or workers’ compensation, not to mention the plain and simple fact that assaulting employees, or anyone for that matter, is wrong and just downright mean.” She slammed her notebook and pen on the table.
“Your foolish idea that we should apply human resources practices to non-humans is outrageous.” He leaned on the table, hands curled, knuckles down. “You are putting this entire organization at risk by attempting to force us to comply with this nonsense. War is a costly endeavor.”
“And you are putting this organization at risk by purposefully injuring employees. The cost of every hospitalization alone should be enough to make you stop, if cost is all you’re concerned with.” She folded her arms over her chest and glared at him. He wasn’t the first manager who’d been on the wrong side of the Employment Law. She wasn’t backing down. “You are not to force Louis off the roof again.”
“You are not to tell me how to run my training exercises.” The table groaned under his fists. “We need trained soldiers now . War looms around us.”
“Are you planning to push him again?”
“I’ll do what needs to be done to make him worthy as a member of The Alliance. Whatever it takes.” The scar at his temple throbbed, reminding Sofia of the red warning light signaling her car engine was overheating. “I will not risk having wolves who are not prepared to fight to the death. Bas Dubh will not play patty-cake to decide who wins.”
There was no way she was allowing anymore workplace violence to occur. Not on her watch. “I’m suspending you. You’ve left me no choice. I can’t risk the safety of even one employee because you insist on continuing these barbaric training tactics. You’ll leave the building and stay home until a decision is made on how to handle this situation.” She shook her head, picked up her pen, and scribbled her decision on the notepad. She knew she’d have a lot of explaining to do to Dr. MacDuff and Fergus, but Osgar could simply take over the training, and they wouldn’t lose any ground.
A loud crack sounded and the table crashed to the floor. Her notepad slipped out of her hand, and she tumbled downward, landing in a heap, still gripping her pen.
“I do not take orders from you!” Rick’s voice bellowed above her.
She pulled herself up to her knees and managed to get to her feet, though she’d somehow lost a shoe, torn her skirt, and her stockings had holes in both knees. “Oh, yes you do!” she shouted. “Now get out!” She pointed toward the door. Blue ink stained her hand. The damn pen had snapped in half when she fell.
She glanced up and was shocked by what she saw. Rick, the man, no longer stood in front of her. Instead, some sort of combination human-wolf towered over her. He stood on two clawed feet, was covered in fur, and the only thing about his face that resembled the man she’d just been speaking to was the giant scar that parted his fur and rippled when he opened his mouth to growl. He stalked forward, saliva dripping from his mouth.
She dropped the broken pen and stumbled backward, tripping over her shoe and landing on her ass.
Chapter Seven
Dragomir may
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